James Bezan

[National Defence, May 5th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the defence minister told Canadians that he fixed the recruitment crisis, but like everything with these Liberals, it was just another illusion. A leaked military memo tells a very different story. Some recruits were unable to communicate in either official language, and there are damning reports of misogyny and racism. This is more Liberal mismanagement and more of the same. These Liberals did not fix the military; they lowered the bar so low and hoped nobody would actually notice.

When will the minister stop ignoring the facts and admit that his recruitment reforms have failed?

[Petitions, May 5th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present petition 451-00928, which is calling on the government to reinstate the agriculture research stations to be closed, announced on January 23.

Over 665 positions were cut. This is a great concern to farmers and producers, as well as consumers in Canada, as we continue to undermine leading-edge research that is happening at Agriculture Canada research stations.

To recap, the government announced it was going to cut the research facilities at Lacombe, Guelph, Quebec City, Indian Head, Scott, Portage la Prairie and Nappan, as well as the organic and regenerative research program at Swift Current Research and Development Centre.

The petitioners are calling on the government to hire back the 665 researchers and scientists within Agriculture Canada, and to reopen all those facilities to support Canada agriculture and Canadian food consumers.

[Report Stage, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I would request that it be a recorded division as well.

[Report Stage, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I would like this motion to also be a recorded division.

[Report Stage, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to request a recorded division.

[Report Stage, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask for a recorded division.

[Report Stage, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, we would like to request a recorded vote.

[Report Stage, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Nanaimo—Ladysmith for her very strong speech, and for taking the time to actually review the testimony that we heard in committee and using that in her debate today on Bill C-11 now that we have closure on it.

The Liberals continually use the Arbour report as their shield and explanation for why they are plowing ahead with these changes, which military justice experts and veterans are saying they do not want. The interesting fact is that the committee heard from the very survivors of military sexual trauma, who also talked to Justice Arbour. It was discovered that over the last five years, since they brought choice into the system and things were moved to the civilian system, they were not receiving justice because of the Jordan framework and the higher thresholds to prosecute.

At the end of the day, there was no accountability in the chain of command. Could my colleague please comment on that, as well?

[Military Justice System Modernization Act, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I want to do a bit of a recap on the history, including pointing out the fact that in 2014 when sexual misconduct was becoming a major issue, the previous Conservative government commissioned Justice Deschamps to write a report. That report then sat on the desk of the former Liberal minister Harjit Sajjan, who was in the process of trying to cover up the sexual misconduct of the former chief of the defence staff Jonathan Vance. The Liberals would rather cover things up than deal with the issues, and they ignored the nine great recommendations from Justice Deschamps.

As a point of interest, I note that Justice Deschamps showed up at the committee's study on Bill C-11. The Liberals always talk about Justice Fish's appearing. He appeared as well and also submitted a written submission. All of them said that choice is an option. The only justice who did not show up and whom the Liberals continue to use as their shield is Justice Arbour. She did not show up at the committee to defend her report, and that report has now been discredited by the testimony we heard from veterans, including in the military justice system.

Why will the Liberals not listen to veterans and military experts rather than try to push through on their own political agenda?

[Military Justice System Modernization Act, May 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, we would like to have a recorded division.